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Figures published by the Scottish Funding Council today (2 November 2021) show that satisfaction levels at Scotland’s colleges remained high in 2020-21 despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey 2020-21 almost 9 out of 10 full-time FE students (88.6%) and just over 80% of full-time HE students were satisfied with their college experience.
This is the first time the survey has been carried out since 2018-19 as the pandemic caused the cancellation of last year’s exercise. The publication of the new survey reflects SFC’s determination to understand the experiences of college students during the global pandemic. Carried out between 8 March and 30 April 2021, the survey reflects students’ experiences during periods of both restricted access and fuller lockdowns.
Importantly, today’s report shows high levels of satisfaction with colleges’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with four out of five FE students and more than two-thirds of HE students agreeing that they felt part of the college community. Overall, more than four out of five students agreed that online materials provided by colleges helped them learn and that changes in courses or teaching were communicated well.
Commenting on the report’s findings, Martin Boyle, Director of Policy, Insight and Analytics at the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Today’s report demonstrates how well Scotland’s colleges adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. To have delivered such high levels of satisfaction in these unprecedented circumstances, when face-to-face teaching was significantly curtailed, is testament to the dedication and commitment of college staff right across the country.”
A full copy of the report is available on the SFC website.